To throw the Avon catalogue...

[onionbahjeepers]

I didn't even think Avon still did catalogues but I've just got home to find one through my door and a note saying they'll collect next week.

Person A says just throw it away, it's unsolicited mail.

Person B says just throw it out on the doorstep and let it sit there for a week.

Person C says keep it in and remember to put it out on the day it says it'll be collected.

Which team are you?

they may have put it through the wrong door 🤔

I heard it said that Avon is an mlm these days, not the ‘mum making a bit of extra cash’ that we remember for them olden days. Can anyone confirm?

I leave them in the bag on the front step and they go. Never sure if it’s the rep or a fox who takes them away.

Option A. If the rep can't be bothered to read the sign on the door that says NO UNSOLICITED MAIL, that's her problem.

Avon sales people pulling all the classy moves out. 😂

I had this once with some weird cleaning products MLM thing. The bulky catalogue of bizarre content came through my door, I immediately put it in the recycling, unopened.
Then a few days later this quite distressed, bedraggled looking young woman knocked loudly on my door 'where is my book?' her English was poor so I was confused but then realised what she meant, and pointed her to the bin. She looked so angry with me.
I couldn't work out what the purpose of any of it was? She didn't even seem to want to get me to buy anything?
Very bizarre marketing technique. 🤣

Put it outside with a note. I used to be an Avon Rep when I needed to earn a bit more money. Reps have to buy the brochures but they when I did it you could use them for two successive campaigns. This meant that the new brochures went to regular customers and the previous one could be used to try to increase the client base with new customers. All the people saying just chuck it in the bin are just making the life of probably some woman a bit harder. She still needs to come out to see if any people have made an order. The people I respected most were those who made it politely plain that they did not want to order anything but gave me back the brochure.

It is just a Mum making extra cash, not a MLM, you buy the books and get a % of the sales. I did it when my kids were younger, usually spent earnings in Avon though as they have a rep offer catalogue with things like Viners saucepan sets really cheap, which I still have 20 years later.

Probably a mix. The last two places I worked on retail and one office both had a few ladies doing it as a side line to boost their Christmas pressie fund. I only did it for a few months when money was very tight. Some people are pleasant and others really are rude and treat people doing this kind of work like dirt. Interesting one woman came out to clearly tell me to clear off and changed her facial expression dramatically when she realised that she knew me from the school gate and that we had friends in common. She was clearly very confused in that moment.

D - have a look through and maybe order something.
Some of their products are quite nice.

I’ve done 10 minutes of research (I know, not thorough or conclusive) but it seems that Avon took a step towards the shadows in 2005 when it started to promote a recruitment structure rather than the simpler direct sales model from before. It doesn’t appear to be fully in the dark side but it’s reluctance to be clear about realistic earnings versus effort or the upline’s cut makes me go ‘hmmm’.

I’ll continue with my current practice. I’m not really a customer of these products and don’t want to be mean to whoever’s dropping them off. They can sit on the step waiting to be collected.

If it's not a mum making extra cash, but a childfree young woman, does it make difference? 🙈

Avon reps have to pay for their catalogues. What happened to consideration? They are just trying to earn some money

Just put it on your step with a note. Please don't leave me a catalogue in future as im. Ot interested thank you

@LoveIsLikeAFartIfYouHaveToPushItsUsuallyShit could even be a....bloke 😂😱

I did Avon for just over 6 years (alongside full time work) to bring in a little extra money. Some of the products were actually quite good and I still use/buy now despite it being 3 years or so since I stopped.

The rep does pay for the book, so to be kind I would leave it outside with a note and your address saying no more books please. I used to put a pure in with mine saying when I was collecting, who I was and asking if they wanted books in the future even if not ordering this time, then a space for their address. This usually worked. I would try to check for a message as I collected books as well in case they didn't say which address. If someone didn't order but left the book out, I would go back two more months with books as they hadn't digitally said no. If I saw a person I would introduce myself and ask them directly.

There were a number of books I didn't get back at all. You accept you will lose a few books and I certainly wouldn't get upset with someone that had recycled the book. I used to thank them for recycling it for me - but I ordered plenty of books to make it worthwhile. I didn't have the free time to go around getting books in and back out again to a new street!

Long way to say, be nice and leave the book for them, ideally in a plastic bag, and pop a note to say no more books please. Maybe wish them a Merry Christmas too!

If you have a free 10 mins you could take a look through - the Christmas brochures used to have great gift ideas. Their PJ's are fab (I have several pairs still) and I can't live without my "One Bra" now!

Ultimately it's up to you and how kind you want to be to someone trying to earn some money.

I'd put it in the recycling with all the rest of the junk mail that comes through the door.

I don't want a catalogue cluttering up my house, and I don't want to be given the unrequested job of having to remember to put it out on a particular day. If the Avon rep knocked/rang and asked me if I'd like a catalogue, I'd happily and politely tell her "no thank you", and she could take her catalogue away with her. But when they just shove unsolicited junk mail through my door making it my job to deal with, it'll go straight in the recycling.

We were told by higher ups that Avon catalogues don't count as unsolicited mail. I can't actually remember the reason why. I personally would skip those houses - but you'd be surprised how often someone from one would approach me and ask for a book!

🙈

They weren't classed as MLM 3 years ago. You can make money by recruiting, but it only goes 3 levels I believe before the chain ends, so not like traditional MLM's where the people at the top are creaming everything. Theres no pressure to become a sales leader and you can make decent money even just as a rep.

Way back in the mists of time of the 80s my mum was an Avon Lady.
She used the pink hair conditioner that came in giant bottles on my (and sister) hair.
You know what.....we never got nits once in our childhoods.
The last time I looked at an Avon catalogue (probably about 5 or 6 years) I was quite excited they were still selling this pink conditioner.
Not exactly a scientific study.....but 🤷

I don’t get why they don’t revert to paper leaflets with a QR code to their online booklet/catalogue. Surely that would be better environmentally and would mean the agent doesn’t have to traipse the streets to collect all the used catalogues which I presume (hope) then have to be recycled.

Pyramid schemes are reprehensible and no one should support them.
I'd leave it lying where it was dumped. Wouldn't be babysitting the MLM tat.

Me and my sister had a vast collection of Little Blossom products too 😍

A lot of the people that will buy from Avon are often older people, many of whom want the face to face interaction. Out of the hundreds of customers I had over the 6 years, I think 2 regularly ordered online - all the rest wanted face to face!

Back in my teen years in the 1980s getting Avon catalogues and product deliveries were exciting events!

I would try to do C but would probably do B because my brain is a sieve so I would think "I better stick it outside before I forget".

Straight into recycling.

I don’t like mess. Having random junk mail scattered around wouldn’t work for me.

They could knock and ask if people wanted them first. That would be less invasive.